About.

My friend promised, “Bee can teach anyone to paint.”

I always wanted to paint, but didn’t think I could because I can barely draw a stick figure. Then, about 10 years ago, a friend invited me to attend a painting workshop with Bee Sieburg. My friend promised, “Bee can teach anyone to paint.” With lots of encouragement from my husband, I decided to attend, figuring I might be the very first person who Bee COULDN’T teach to paint. As luck would have it, I was wrong.

Bee's workshop combined medium, method, and attitude perfectly for me. Her style is bold and loose, and she encouraged me to “Lay it and leave it.” As with running, where every race isn’t going to be a Personal Record, knowing every painting didn’t have to be perfect let me experiment and try without fear of failure. She taught me to cover the canvas quickly and then come back to re-outline the shapes and layer on the details, lights and darks, warms and cools. Water based oils on canvas proved to be a forgiving medium. I learned to use larger brushes held away from the tip in order to, as Bee puts it, “Leave room for God to help.” Bee was quick with the praise and, when she suggested areas for improvement, she would quickly add, “You can fix that.” She built my confidence. In that first day-and-a-half workshop, I completed three paintings. I began to see the world through new eyes and I haven’t looked back.

Areas of specialty include animals, especially portraits of dogs and cats, mountain and sea landscapes, and buildings and city scenes. Portraiture of people continues to elude me, although I have dabbled in it and hope to someday become proficient. The greatest reward is when I present my commission and the person for whom I painted it feels like I captured the essence of the subject.